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Designated Survivor (TV series)
| creator = David Guggenheim | starring = | theme_music_composer = Sean Callery | composer = | country = United States | language = English | num_seasons = 1 | num_episodes = 21 | list_episodes = #Episodes | executive_producer = * Nicholas Pepper * Jeff Melvoin * Jon Harmon Feldman * Kiefer Sutherland * Suzan Bymel * Paul McGuigan * Amy Harris * Aditya Sood * David Guggenheim * Simon Kinberg }} | producer = | location = Toronto, Ontario | cinematography = M. David Mullen | camera = Single-camera | runtime = 42 minutes | company = | distributor = Disney-ABC Domestic Television | network = ABC | picture_format = 1080p (HDTV) | audio_format = 5.1 surround sound | first_aired = | last_aired = | related = | website = http://abc.go.com/shows/designated-survivor | production_website = | alt = }} Designated Survivor is an American political drama television series created by David Guggenheim, starring Kiefer Sutherland, airing on ABC. The project skipped the pilot stage and was ordered straight to series on December 14, 2015, followed by a formal announcement on May 6, 2016. The first episode premiered on September 21, 2016, with a full season order coming eight days later. The series was renewed for a second season on May 11, 2017. Plot On the night of the State of the Union, an explosion claims the lives of the President and everyone in the presidential line of succession, except for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Tom Kirkman, who had been named the designated survivor. Kirkman is immediately sworn in as President, unaware that the attack is just the beginning of what is to come. Cast and characters Main * Kiefer Sutherland as President Thomas Adam "Tom" Kirkman, the independent President of the United States and the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development who is sworn in following an unprecedented attack. * Natascha McElhone as First Lady Alex Kirkman, Tom's wife and an attorney employed at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission who finds herself thrust into a role for which she is not prepared. * Adan Canto as Aaron Shore, Chief Strategist to the Speaker of the House. The former White House Deputy Chief of Staff, he became Tom's Chief of Staff only to resign after being interrogated about the Capitol bombing. * Italia Ricci as White House Chief of Staff Emily Rhodes, Tom's Chief of Staff at HUD who becomes his Special Advisor and, following Aaron's resignation, his Chief of Staff. * LaMonica Garrett as Mike Ritter, Tom's personal Secret Service agent who is tasked with ensuring the Kirkman family's safety in the wake of the attack. * Kal Penn as White House Press Secretary Seth Wright, a former speechwriter who initially harbors strong doubts about Tom's abilities to lead the country but quickly becomes one of his closest advisors. * Maggie Q as Hannah Wells, an FBI agent assigned to investigate the attack who suspects that the perpetrators are not yet finished. Recurring * Peter Outerbridge as Charles Langdon, the Chief of Staff to former President Richmond who survived the Capitol bombing and provides vital information about the conspiracy. * Malik Yoba as Jason Atwood, the current Deputy Director of the FBI who spars with Hannah as she conducts her investigation into the Capitol bombing only to become one of her most trusted allies. He is later killed by Lozano. * Kevin McNally as General Harris Cochrane, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who refuses to believe that Tom is capable of running the country and attempts to take matters into his own hands only to be fired for disregarding orders. * Virginia Madsen as Kimble Hookstraten, the designated survivor for the GOP and the nominee for Secretary of Education. A Republican Congresswoman from Missouri, she supports Kirkman's authority while secretly harboring her own agenda. She is later elected Speaker of the House but resigns her seat in Congress after being investigated for ethical violations. * Ashley Zukerman as Peter MacLeish, a decorated Afghan War veteran and popular third-term Democratic Congressman from Oregon who becomes a national hero following the attack. He is later confirmed by Congress and sworn in as the Vice President only to be shot and killed before he can tell Hannah about his involvement in the conspiracy. * George Tchortov as Nestor Lozano/"Catalan", a former CIA operative and a wanted mercenary deeply involved in the conspiracy behind the Capitol bombing. He is killed by Wells. * Reed Diamond as John Forstell, the Assistant Director of the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility who assists Hannah in her investigation. * Mykelti Williamson as Admiral Chernow, a career military man and the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who becomes one of Tom's most trusted advisors. * Michael Gaston as James Royce, the Governor of Michigan who defies the Kirkman administration and attempts to establish his own supreme authority only to be placed under arrest for treason. * Mariana Klaveno as Brooke Mathison, a clandestine operator in league with the people behind the Capitol attack. * Jake Epstein as Chuck Russink, an FBI technician who assists Hannah in her investigation. * Lara Jean Chorostecki as Beth MacLeish, Peter's wife and a high-ranking member of the conspiracy who kills herself after killing her husband. * Rob Morrow as Abe Leonard, an investigative journalist determined to expose the Kirkman administration's secrets. * Geoff Pierson as Cornelius Moss, a former President of the United States whom Tom appoints as his Secretary of State. * Mark Deklin as Jack Bowman, a Republican Senator from Montana who seeks to raise his national profile by opposing Tom's legislative agenda. * Kearran Giovanni as Diane Hunter, a Democratic Senator from Massachusetts and the Senate Minority Leader. * Terry Serpico as Patrick Lloyd, the CEO of a defunct private military firm and a high-ranking member of the conspiracy. * Richard Waugh as Jay Whitaker, the Homeland Security Advisor and a high-ranking member of the conspiracy. }} Episodes |Viewers = 10.04 |ShortSummary = When a sudden explosion destroys the Capitol Building during the State of the Union address, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Tom Kirkman is sworn in as President after learning that both his predecessor and all his fellow Cabinet members are dead. As he juggles adjusting to his new role and proving he is capable of leading the country, FBI agent Hannah Wells begins to suspect that the attack may have been the first of many. |LineColor = 031729 }} |OriginalAirDate = |Viewers = 7.97 |ShortSummary = Kirkman deals with his first challenges as Commander in Chief when civil rights abuses in Michigan reach a fever pitch and the designated survivor for the Republican Party comes forward; Wells continues to believe that the FBI is being pointed in the wrong direction; and a survivor of the Capitol bombing is found. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 7.05 |ShortSummary = Kirkman faces crisis after crisis as he juggles dealing with an interview that leaves many questioning the legitimacy of his Presidency and the fallout from a leaked video in which a terrorist group claims to be responsible for the bombing; Wells questions Congressman Peter MacLeish, the bombing's sole survivor, only to realize he is not telling her the whole truth; and Alex deals with a personal crisis when she discovers a bag of pills in Leo's bedroom drawer. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 7.00 |ShortSummary = Kirkman juggles continuing to deal with the issue of civil rights in Michigan and finding a terrorist believed to be responsible for the bombing; Hannah suspects MacLeish is not telling the truth about what happened on the night of the bombing; Alex seeks help from an unlikely ally; and Seth takes on an unexpected new job. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.96 |ShortSummary = Kirkman dispatches a team of Navy SEALs to Algeria after learning that the government helped Majid Nassar elude custody; Wells learns the truth about MacLeish's movements on the night of the bombing; and Alex learns that someone from her past has made a damning allegation. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.56 |ShortSummary = Kirkman's plan to elect a new Congress is put in jeopardy after a shooting disrupts a Governors' Summit; Wells and Atwood interrogate Majid Nassar about his role in the bombing; and Aaron and Emily offer MacLeish the position of Vice President. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.52 |ShortSummary = Kirkman attempts to negotiate a three-way spy trade with Saudi Arabia and Russia; Alex finds herself face-to-face with the man who claims to be Leo's biological father; and Wells pursues a lead from the Majid Nassar interrogation only to uncover a shocking secret. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.45 |ShortSummary = Kirkman is forced to consider canceling the Congressional elections following a bioterrorism threat in Kansas City; Leo confronts his parents about the scandal revolving around his parentage; and Wells' investigation into Majid Nassar's death takes a devastating turn. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.18 |ShortSummary = Kirkman suspects that an NSA employee responsible for stealing classified information has an ulterior motive and Wells hunts for information about MacLeish's past as the number of people she can trust continues to dwindle. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 6.18 |ShortSummary = Kirkman and Emily attempt to confirm suspicions of a traitor in the White House; Wells juggles evading the authorities and learning the identity of her mystery asset; and MacLeish prepares to be sworn in as Vice President. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.86 |ShortSummary = Kirkman is taken into surgery after being shot during MacLeish's swearing-in; Wells is interrogated about the information she has on MacLeish; Emily continues to avoid Aaron in the wake of a devastating revelation; and MacLeish uses his hours as acting President to conceal his involvement in the failed assassination attempt. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.74 |ShortSummary = Kirkman and Wells work together to learn more about MacLeish's involvement in the Capitol bombing; Emily's strained relationship with Aaron is further tested; and Alex grows suspicious as Kirkman begins to tighten his inner circle. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.21 |ShortSummary = Kirkman deals with the fallout from MacLeish's death; Wells unearths information about how MacLeish became involved in the conspiracy; Seth clashes with a reporter bent on exposing the administration's secrets; and Alex reaches a difficult decision regarding her family's safety. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.15 |ShortSummary = Kirkman juggles preventing a genocide in an African nation and working with former President Cornelius Moss to organize his Cabinet; Wells interrogates former Chief of Staff Charles Langdon about his involvement in the conspiracy; and Aaron makes a decision about his future in the White House. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.19 |ShortSummary = Kirkman announces his intention to initiate his first hundred days; Alex makes a statement that threatens to jeopardize the administration's political agenda; Wells and Atwood set out to find the mysterious woman responsible for his son's murder; and Hookstraten presents Aaron with an enticing offer. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 4.82 |ShortSummary = Kirkman's administration struggles to assemble a bipartisan coalition in order to pass a controversial gun control bill and Wells and Atwood uncover further evidence that suggests the conspirators are planning more attacks. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.06 |ShortSummary = Kirkman is forced to improvise when Bowman blocks one of his Supreme Court nominees; Wells and Atwood investigate a lead in North Dakota that leads to a shocking revelation; and Seth learns that Leonard is writing a story about the truth behind the Capitol bombing. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.11 |ShortSummary = Kirkman's plan to nominate Hookstraten as Vice President is derailed when an old rival begins a smear campaign; Wells' investigation into the mastermind behind the Capitol bombing puts her life in danger; and Leonard receives inside information about the White House concealing the truth behind the bombing. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 4.62 |ShortSummary = As Hookstraten fights for her political life, Kirkman prepares for an international summit. Meanwhile, Atwood manages to collect intelligence on a ranking member behind the Capitol bombing and discovers the mole in the White House, but is shot twice himself in course of doing so. Meanwhile, Wells is captured by members of the conspiracy. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 4.92 |ShortSummary = President Kirkman departs for his first international meeting with foreign leaders, but the NATO summit agenda is derailed when newspapers publish a story alleging that Al-Sakar was not behind the Capitol bombing, resulting in an uproar both at home and abroad. Meanwhile, Wells attempts to stay one step ahead of her abductors and the Secret Service attempt to locate the traitor within the White House, with varying results. |LineColor = 031729 }} |Viewers = 5.07 |ShortSummary = Lozano plants a virus into the Pentagon's computer network. Wells finds him and kills him. Kirkman convinces Leonard to hold off on publishing more about the investigation. Kirkman announces to America via a joint session of Congress that they now know who is leading the conspiracy. |LineColor = 031729 }} }} Production Development Designated Survivor was ordered straight to series by ABC in December 2015, with a formal announcement of 13 episodes in May 2016. A month later, ABC revealed that the series would premiere on September 21, 2016. Eight days after the premiere, on September 29, 2016, ABC gave the series a full season order. Created by David Guggenheim, the series is executive produced by Simon Kinberg, Sutherland, Suzan Bymel, Aditya Sood, and Nick Pepper. Paul McGuigan directed the pilot episode. Amy B. Harris was set to be the showrunner in February 2016, but after the series' official pick-up in May, it was announced she would be stepping down due to creative differences, and that Jon Harmon Feldman was in talks to replace her. In July 2016, Feldman was confirmed as showrunner/executive producer. In December 2016, Jeff Melvoin was hired as showrunner, replacing the departing Feldman. Kal Penn, formerly associate director in the White House's Office of Public Engagement, serves as a consultant for the series as well as acting in the main cast. The series is produced by ABC Studios and The Mark Gordon Company, and is filmed in Toronto, Canada. Writing Producers Jon Harmon Feldman and Guggenheim described the series as more than one genre, drawing inspiration from other thriller-dramas, with Guggenheim explaining, "There is a West Wing component of a man governing and his team governing our nation at this critical time. It's also the Homeland aspect of investigating the conspiracy. It also has a House of Cards component, which is the characters and the business of government through the eyes of these characters." Casting plays the lead role, Tom Kirkman]] Kiefer Sutherland joined the cast in December 2015, playing Tom Kirkman, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development who suddenly becomes President. Sutherland had previously no intention of doing television again, but changed his mind after reading the first script of the series, saying, "I remember getting to the end of the script and thinking I was potentially holding the next 10 years of my life in my hands." In February 2016, it was announced that Kal Penn, Maggie Q, Natascha McElhone, and Italia Ricci had been cast as Kirkman's speech writer; Hannah, the lead FBI agent on the bombing of the Capitol; Kirkman's wife, an EEOC attorney; and Emily, Kirkman's Chief of Staff, respectively. Shortly after, Adan Canto had joined the series as Aaron Shore, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff. In early March, LaMonica Garrett joined the cast as Mike Ritter, Kirkman's Secret Service agent, and Tanner Buchanan and Mckenna Grace had been cast as Kirkman's children. In July 2016, Malik Yoba was announced for a recurring role as Jason Atwood, the seasoned Deputy Director of the FBI, to appear in seven episodes, while Virginia Madsen had been cast in the recurring role of Kimble Hookstraten, a conservative Congresswoman and the designated survivor for the rival political party. A month later, Ashley Zukerman joined the series in a recurring role as Peter MacLeish, an Afghan War veteran and popular third-term Congressman. In September 2016, Mykelti Williamson was cast as Admiral Chernow, a career military man and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. On November 4, 2016, it was announced that Mariana Klaveno had been cast for the show as the Dark-Haired Woman, a clandestine operator in league with the people behind the Capitol attack. Broadcast Designated Survivor began airing on September 21, 2016, on ABC in the United States, and CTV in Canada. Netflix airs the series outside the U.S. and Canada, with distribution handled by eOne. Marketing A teaser trailer for Designated Survivor was released on May 6, 2016, with the full trailer released on May 17. Producers and some of the cast members promoted the series at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2016, showing a special preview screening with co-stars Maggie Q and Kal Penn in attendance. Reception Critical reception Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gave the series an approval rating of 85% based on 52 reviews, with an average rating of 6.98/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Kiefer Sutherland skillfully delivers the drama in Designated Survivor, a fast-paced, quickly engrossing escapist political action fantasy." Metacritic reported a score of 71 out of 100 based on 35 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Terri Schwartz from IGN gave the first episode a rating of 8.0/10, saying, "Designated Survivor is a strong debut for a show that will fit well alongside Quantico and Scandal in ABC's government-set political drama lineup." Variety said that the episode "does everything it needs to, checking off the necessary boxes for the unwilling American hero-president in efficient, compelling scenes." Chuck Barney from Mercury News called the first episode "suspenseful". Writing for TV Insider, Matt Roush compared Designated Survivor with other series as he said "fall's niftiest new drama has West Wing idealism, Homeland suspense and House of Cards political intrigue in its robust and compelling DNA." Zack Handlen from The A.V. Club wrote positively about the show and the premiere, praising Sutherland's performance and commented on the symbol of Sutherland's glasses as he said, "The glasses he's wearing serve as a way to tell us this is a different kind of hero, but they're also a form of camouflage, making it easier for us to understand why so many people would underestimate this man." The editors of TV Guide placed Designated Survivor first among the top ten picks for the most anticipated new shows of the 2016–17 season. In writer Alexander Zalben's overall review, he pointed out the keys to one of the strongest pilots he had seen so far: "Designated Survivor is the rare show that delivers on the hype, and surpasses it," and later stating "It's shocking that a show can balance all of these elements, but credit a magnetic cast that hits the ground running, a crack script that makes the first hour feel like 10 minutes and, of course, Sutherland as the anchor that keeps it all grounded." Zalben's review concluded with this recommendation: "There's a reason Designated Survivor wasn't just the top pick across all of our Editors' lists, but also on the list compiled from TVGuide.com viewers' Watchlist adds: this is a show that delivers on its premise, feels timely, and most importantly, is a ton of fun." On the other hand, after watching the first episode of the first season, The Guardian s Brian Moylan criticized the dialogue, writing in his review that "this drama needs dialogue that won’t make the citizenry’s eyeballs roll", adding that the show features "meaningless platitudes" of a "we’re going to do this my way" attitude, and concluded by writing, "All we’re left with is a really great concept without the backing of a real leader behind it." Moylan also wrote that "there’s not enough family tension for it to be a domestic drama, not enough government intrigue to make it a political show, and not enough investigation to make it a procedural." TVLine s Dave Nemetz drew references between Kirkman and Jack Bauer, Kiefer Sutherland's role in drama thriller 24, writing that "Sutherland does a good job portraying Kirkman’s deep ambivalence about the situation he’s been handed. But when he has to play hardball with an Iranian ambassador, the tough talk comes too easily to him. It’s like Kirkman has been possessed by the ghost of Jack Bauer". Nemetz also questioned the series' longevity; "As compelling as Designated Survivor's concept is, it’s hard to see how it will sustain itself as a weekly series". Ratings The first episode set a record for DVR viewers with 7.67 million, surpassing the September 25, 2014, record of almost 7 million set by the pilot of How to Get Away with Murder. | title2 = The First Day | date2 = September 28, 2016 | rs2 = 1.8/6 | viewers2 = 7.97 | dvr2 = 2.1 | dvrv2 = 7.65 | total2 = 3.9 | totalv2 = 15.62 | title3 = The Confession | date3 = October 5, 2016 | rs3 = 1.6/6 | viewers3 = 7.05 | dvr3 = 1.9 | dvrv3 = 7.32 | total3 = 3.5 | totalv3 = 14.33 | title4 = The Enemy | date4 = October 12, 2016 | rs4 = 1.6/6 | viewers4 = 7.00 | dvr4 = 1.9 | dvrv4 = 6.89 | total4 = 3.5 | totalv4 = 13.89 | title5 = The Mission | date5 = October 26, 2016 | rs5 = 1.2/5 | viewers5 = 5.96 | dvr5 = 2.0 | dvrv5 = 7.07 | total5 = 3.2 | totalv5 = 13.03 | title6 = The Interrogation | date6 = November 9, 2016 | rs6 = 1.2/4 | viewers6 = 5.56 | dvr6 = 1.8 | dvrv6 = 6.36 | total6 = 3.0 | totalv6 = 11.92 | title7 = The Traitor | date7 = November 16, 2016 | rs7 = 1.2/4 | viewers7 = 5.52 | dvr7 = 1.7 | dvrv7 = 6.40 | total7 = 2.9 | totalv7 = 11.92 | title8 = The Results | date8 = November 30, 2016 | rs8 = 1.3/4 | viewers8 = 5.45 | dvr8 = 1.7 | dvrv8 = 6.50 | total8 = 3.0 | totalv8 = 11.95 | title9 = The Blueprint | date9 = December 7, 2016 | rs9 = 1.1/4 | viewers9 = 5.18 | dvr9 = 1.7 | dvrv9 = 6.69 | total9 = 2.8 | totalv9 = 11.88 | title10 = The Oath | date10 = December 14, 2016 | rs10 = 1.2/4 | viewers10 = 6.17 | dvr10 = 1.7 | dvrv10 = 6.19 | total10 = 2.9 | totalv10 = 12.36 | title11 = Warriors | date11 = March 8, 2017 | rs11 = 1.3/5 | viewers11 = 5.86 | dvr11 = 1.5 | dvrv11 = 5.80 | total11 = 2.8 | totalv11 = 11.69 | title12 = The End of the Beginning | date12 = March 15, 2017 | rs12 = 1.3/5 | viewers12 = 5.74 | dvr12 = 1.4 | dvrv12 = 5.53 | total12 = 2.7 | totalv12 = 11.27 | title13 = Backfire | date13 = March 22, 2017 | rs13 = 1.1/4 | viewers13 = 5.21 | dvr13 = 1.4 | dvrv13 = 5.66 | total13 = 2.5 | totalv13 = 10.87 | title14 = Commander-in-Chief | date14 = March 29, 2017 | rs14 = 1.1/4 | viewers14 = 5.15 | dvr14 = 1.5 | dvrv14 = 5.79 | total14 = 2.6 | totalv14 = 10.94 | title15 = One Hundred Days | date15 = April 5, 2017 | rs15 = 1.1/4 | viewers15 = 5.19 | dvr15 = 1.5 | dvrv15 = 5.68 | total15 = 2.6 | totalv15 = 10.87 | title16 = Party Lines | date16 = April 12, 2017 | rs16 = 0.9/3 | viewers16 = 4.82 | dvr16 = 1.4 | dvrv16 = 5.43 | total16 = 2.3 | totalv16 = 10.31 | title17 = The Ninth Seat | date17 = April 19, 2017 | rs17 = 1.0/4 | viewers17 = 5.06 | dvr17 = 1.4 | dvrv17 = 5.50 | total17 = 2.4 | totalv17 = 10.56 | title18 = Lazarus | date18 = April 26, 2017 | rs18 = 1.1/4 | viewers18 = 5.11 | dvr18 = n/a | dvrv18 = n/a | total18 = n/a | totalv18 = n/a | title19 = Misalliance | date19 = May 3, 2017 | rs19 = 0.9/4 | viewers19 = 4.62 | dvr19 = 1.4 | dvrv19 = 5.42 | total19 = 2.3 | totalv19 = 10.04 | title20 = Bombshell | date20 = May 10, 2017 | rs20 = 1.0/4 | viewers20 = 4.92 | dvr20 = 1.2 | dvrv20 = 5.23 | total20 = 2.2 | totalv20 = 10.15 | title21 = Brace for Impact | date21 = May 17, 2017 | rs21 = 1.1/4 | viewers21 = 5.07 | dvr21 = 1.2 | dvrv21 = 5.30 | total21 = 2.3 | totalv21 = 10.37 }} Accolades References External links * * Category:2010s American drama television series Category:2016 American television series debuts Category:American Broadcasting Company network shows Category:American drama television series Category:American political television series Category:English-language television programming Category:Serial drama television series Category:Television series by ABC Studios Category:Television series produced in Toronto Category:Television shows set in Washington, D.C. Category:Terrorism in fiction Category:White House in fiction Category:2016 television series debuts